Misunderstanding
by creepinsmooches
Summary: There's a slight misunderstanding, and some drama ensues. First fic, and I don't write, lol. So feel free to comment and rip it to shreds, I won't be offended, as this is unbetaed, and probably very awful. : Hope I haven't wasted too much of your time.


Galinda rushed into class along with Shenshen, barely making it in the door before the bell. They swiftly took seats near Pfanee, and hurried to get in as much giggling and gossip as they could before the professor began his lecture. Galinda began to pull out her notebook and colored pens for class, as she listened to Pfanee talk about some atrocity she'd seen walking about the courtyard the evening before. Apparently the girl dared to wear last year's stockings. As she arranged her things on her desk, Galinda noticed that her notebook was not, in fact, hers. Same color, same size, but the name on the front was that of her verdant roomie. She looked about for the green girl, finding her easily in the back of the room, hunched over her books in some unnecessary last minute study session.

"Elphie!" Galinda called discretely.

Pfanee looked at her strangely. "Why on earth are you trying to get her attention?"she asked.

"I grabbed her notebook on accident. I was going to give it back, and see if she had mine." Galinda replied, as if this were obvious.

"Elphie!" she called again, a bit louder.

At this Elphaba looked up, and glanced about until she spied the little blonde waving at her. Her eyebrow quirked in response. Galinda was just about to dash up and switch books with her when the professor came in. She quickly took her seat, turned to Elphaba, and shrugged. All the more confused, Elphaba decided to write this off as another of her roommates 'moments', and turned her attention to the lecture that had begun.

Galinda, having no other paper on which to take her notes, opened Elphaba's. She gingerly flipped through it looking for a blank page, but stopped as she spied her name amongst the neatly scrawled notes. Intrigued, Galinda lost all interest in the lecture (which was bound to happen anyway) and scanned the page. Had she known what she was going to read, Galinda might have been more discreet.

_Everyday she comes bounding into our room. Everyday she squeals on and on about some nitwit thing or other, and I must listen to her every word. Not because I can't drown her out. Though with her mousy voice that gets louder with her excitement (which is always present) I must consider that perhaps this would, in fact, be impossible. And it's certainly not because I find her topics of 'conversation' (if one is to consider being talked AT conversation) interesting in the least. I certainly could care less about today's latest fashion travesty, seeing as it was probably me. And it's not because she insists that I do. Something tells me she would continue this monologue if I were present or not. No... I listen because she is speaking. Because hearing that annoying little voice talking incessantly about nothing is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and I hate myself for it. Why? Of all people. There couldn't be a more ridiculous idea in the world than my feelings for this girl, and yet there they are. Giggling and smiling at me everyday for no reason at all. Lurline hates me. She must, for there is no other explanation for both my color and this horrible little school-boy crush I harbor for the most inappropriate person I could possibly dream up..._

Galinda blushed furiously and turned the page. She looked around nervously and was relieved to find that her classmates were absorbed in the lecture. She had never expected to read such a thing. She'd never suspected her roommate of having feelings, let alone _those_ kinds of feelings... and towards her? It was surreal. Galinda ignored the rest of the lecture as she thought of what she'd read, and the implications it held. She was surprised to find that the idea of her roommate having feelings towards her didn't terrify her. Really it was quite the opposite. She felt somewhat honored to have these feelings, however unexpected, bestowed upon her. For somebody who showed so little in the ways of emotion...especially love...wait, she'd said nothing of love... either way... it was touching to have oneself as the target of such affection. Galinda was used to being such a target. She wasn't so dense that she didn't realize the numerous suitors at her every footstep. But Elphaba! How strange, and forbidden! How...

Pfanee took a break from passing scribbled notes and doodles with Shenshen to look over at Galinda. She saw that she was pouring over the notebook belonging to Elphaba.

"Must be something interesting," She thought, noting the odd look on her face and her notably flushed cheeks.

With hardly a pause she turned and snatched the notebook from Galinda's desk. Galinda gasped, but was forced to quell her anger as the professor turned from the board. He paused just long enough to glare at Galinda, then turned back to the board and his rambling lecture. When he turned back around Galinda shot a look of warning at Pfanee, who sweetly smiled and began sifting through the pages. Galinda watched in horror, unable to do anything lest she incur the wrath of their professor. Later she would wish she'd done just that, as Pfanee's eyes all but bugged out of her skull, and she glanced up at Galinda with a look that could be nothing but giddy. Galinda pleaded silently with the heartless girl but her pleas were ignored as Pfanee continued to peruse the deepest secrets of her roommate. Galinda was sure that her social demise was eminent.

The rest of the class dragged on painfully as Galinda's intitial confusion over what she had read turned to a more sinister feeling of dread. Upon first reading her roommates secret confession she had felt at once flattered, and bewildered. But now... now that she knew this sensitive information was in the hands of one such as Pfanee, Galinda could only sit and imagine the havoc she would create once the bell rang. Not only would she be the obvious target for being the object of the _green girl's_ affection, but those feelings which the poor girl tried so hard to conceal were sure to be thrust up for public scrutiny in a matter of... seven minutes.

Seven grueling minutes later the bell sounded the begining of the end for Galinda. She all but lept at Pfanee, grabbing the notebook from her grasp. Pfanee only smiled wickedly. The damage had been done.

"Why, Miss Galinda I do believe a certain frog girl has a bit of a crush on you!" she exclaimed loudly, peaking the interest of a few students who lingered to see what was going on.

" Miss Pfanee please... those... those thoughts were private. I'm sure she never meant to have them read... just... just give it back and forget about it. I know I will..." Galinda begged pathetically.

"Oh, on the contrary Miss Galinda, I don't think you'll ever forget this." Pfanee said venomously, just as Elphaba thudded down the steps on her way out.

She had been scribbling down the last of the notes and was oblivious to the catastrophe that had unfolded in the front of the classroom. Pfanee reached out and grabbed her roughly by the arm.

"What the hell!" Elphaba spat, startled by the unfamiliar human contact.

Pfanee simply plucked the notebook from Galinda's arms once more and held it up for Elphaba to see.

"This..." she said mirthfully, "provided for some very interesting reading Miss Elphaba. Who knew a frog such as yourself could be so... what was it we decided Galinda?... oh yes... enamoured! And with one's roommate no less! How simply romantic!"

Elphaba, for her part, just stood wide-eyed, gaping and speechless for the first time in her life. Galinda, on the other hand, who had been watching this whole event unfold as quickly as some horrible train accident, was torn from her own state of shock into one of absolute rage. Before she could stop herself she had slapped Pfanee across her chubby little cheek.

"How can you be so cruel!" she yelled.

"That was private, and none of your buisness! You are simply.. just... Oh! You're awful!"

Pfanee held her cheek, her eyes welling with tears. The students who had lagged behind to catch the show were in awe. Never before had anyone seen Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands so much a raise her pretty little voice. Galinda looked about her, still fuming, grabbed the notebook and the hand of her silent green roommate.

" I hope you're happy Miss Pfanee. I hope this is just what you wanted." she said icily and stormed out of the classroom dragging Elphaba helplessly behind her like some child's plaything.

Galinda all but ran out of the building, nearly plouging over several of her fellow classmates who dared get in her path. She burst through the door and continued through to the courtyard, but Elphaba stopped suddenly, bringing the raving blond to a halt beside her.

"Galinda! Please, just stop!" she said exasperated and confused.

Galinda turned to her and looked down at their joined hands. Elphaba, remembering why she had been dragged out here in the first place, blushed a deep emerald and pulled her hand away.

"Galinda... how could you?" she asked quietly.

" I mean... to read my journal is bad enough, but to bring it to class? To show it to _her_?" she didn't know what else to say and couldn't hold back the sob that jumped from her throat.

Tears began to sting their way down her face, but she didn't bother to wipe them away, such was her shame. It had finally dawned on her what all of this meant. What exactly it meant that Galinda had read her journal. That she had read all the things she'd never dared tell anyone and had barely been able to admit to herself. Elphaba just stood there crying. She didn't care anymore who saw. She figured she had nothing else to lose.

Galinda was stunned to see her usually strong roommate reduced to tears. It scared her and caused a hurt in her she didn't know she was capable of. All she wanted was to make her stop.

"Elphie I..." but she was cut off.

"No! I dont' want to hear it! I thought you were different from them. Obviously you're so much worse. I'm sorry you read those things Miss Galinda, they were inappropriate. But I'm even more sorry that I ever wrote them!" she sobbed, choking on her words.

She turned then, finally embarrassed of her tears, and realizing that some people had congregated around them in a fashion they surely found discreet, she ran off in the direction of their dorm. Galinda felt as if her heart had been ripped out, and she didn't know why. All she knew was that she had to make Elphaba understand the truth. Galinda sighed, rolling her eyes at the group mingling casually about her, and took off after her not so secret admirer.

Elphaba ran quickly to her room, fumbling with the key through her tears, she finally managed to wrench open the door. She slammed it shut and threw herself on her bed. Her tears continued to flow, but she was no longer able to ignore their bitter sting. Sniffling uncharacteristicly, Elphaba reached under her bed and pulled out her small wooden box containing various oils. She patted her cheeks with her sleeve, wincing as the rough material grazed her raw cheeks. Trying her hardest to stop her crying, Elphaba opened a bottle of aloe oil and began to gingerly put it on her cheeks. It hurt. She had not cried since she was small, and remembered now why it was she avoided doing so at all costs. She felt stupid for having made such a scene in front of everyone, and couldn't even begin to fathom what would happen to her as far as the other drama was concerned. As she sat on her bed, still rubbing the aloe across her cheeks, where her tears had left purplish tracks, she heard the door creak slowly open.

"Damn." she thought.

How could she be so foolish as to think Galinda wouldn't come straight here after her. She really was an emotional mess right now. Not at all her usual clear thinking self. Galinda peeked her head through the door.

"Miss Elphaba? Are you..." she stopped herself as she saw Elphaba sitting on her bed.

Galinda took one look at her face and completely forgot that she should be repentant and scared of her roommates reaction.

"Oh! Miss Elphaba your face!" she cried.

Galinda ran to her worriedly and gently placed her finger under Elphaba's chin, tilting it up. Elphaba flinched, and turned away.

"It's nothing... it's just the tears, it will go away." she said, her voice unsteady from both Galinda's touch and the crying she'd done.

"Tears?" Galinda asked confused.

"Here... let me help you." she took the bottle from Elphaba.

"Just put this on the little streaks? Does that help?" she asked hesitantly.

She wanted to help, but was afraid Elphaba would refuse to accept the attention after what had happened. To her suprise Elphaba just nodded dejectedly. Galinda put some of the aloe oil on her finger and delicately smoothed it over a particularly sore looking burn. Elphaba winced a little, but Galinda continued as gently as possible, hardly touching her at all. Elphaba just sat motionless, eyes closed, and tried not to cry again. It was too much. To have someone be so kind to her, and not just anyone, but Galinda was more than she could bear. But she wouldn't pull away. She couldn't because the touch was so sweet and was something, before now, she had only imagined in her dreams. She could almost lose herself in Galinda's faint touch. Almost. Elphaba cursed the gentle blonde silently. Hating that she chose to humiliate her one moment, then be so caring the next. Her roommates actions baffled her usually bright mind.

Galinda could sense her roommate's discomfort, and decided that this was as good a time as any to explain herself. Who knew what would happen when Elphaba came back to herself. Surely if she didn't get this whole situation explained, her roommate would never speak to her again. This wasn't a risk Galinda was willing to take. She put the cap back on the oil, and placed it on the bed. Elphaba still sat with her eyes closed, but her head was down, with her pointed chin jabbing into her chest. Galinda tentatively sat down beside her. "Miss Elphaba I... I want to explain what happened today..." she began.

"Galinda don't. I understand completely. I don't need to hear your excuses." Elphaba said bitterly.

She opened her eyes now, but stared down at the floor.

"No, that's just it. You don't understand at all. Please just listen to me. Let me explain what happened, then if you still hate me...well... I suppose there's nothing I can do." Galinda said, suprising herself with her calm demeanor.

"Fine."

Galinda took a deep breath.

"When I got to class, I realized I had grabbed your notebook on accident. It looks just like mine, see?" she got up and went to her desk where she pulled out a notebook identical to the one Elphaba owned.

"That's why I tried to get your attention before class, to see if you had mine. I was going to run up and switch with you, but then the professor came in."

Galinda paused to see if Elphaba had it figured out, but seeing that she was still staring at her blankly, she continued.

"Well... I didn't have any paper to write on, so I thought I'd just use a page out of your notebook. I... I didn't mean to read anything I swear, but as I was turning through it looking for a blank sheet, I saw my name. I... uh... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have read it, but I was curious. It really was wrong of me to do that though. I had no right." Galinda looked down at her feet.

"Uhm... then Miss Pfanee just took it from me, out of nowhere! I couldn't get it back because the professor gave me that death look of his, and I didn't want to have to face Morrible if I got in trouble again." she let out a bitter little laugh.

"It would have been better to face Morrible I think..." she stole a glance at her silent companion.

She seemed to be contemplating something, no doubt a few somethings.

"Anyway... the rest you know. I don't know what else to say. It was purely accidental, and that awful Miss Pfanee just made it all worse."

Elphaba looked up then and sighed.

"I suppose it really wasn't your fault then. I mean... I wish you hadn't read those... things... but I understand. The rest is just the unfortunate choice you made in surrounding yourself with those girls." she shifted uncomfortably, twisting the ends of her sleeves in her fingers.

She didn't know what else to say, and her embarrassment over what Galinda had read crept in once more. Galinda saw the green darken on the cheeks of her roommate. She knew she had to say something about the journal. Not just about what had happened, but what it had contained.

" Elphaba... about what you wrote..."

"Please Miss Galinda... don't. I don't even know what to say about it. I'm just... I'm sorry." Elphaba stammered quietly.

"No, don't be sorry. Really. I mean... it wasn't something I would have ever... I mean... I'm not..." she huffed, frustrated with her inadequacy in expressing how she felt. She took a deep breath and decided to just get it out, and be completely honest.

"I thought it was sweet." she whispered, so softly Elphaba wasn't sure she'd heard it at all.

"You... you did?"

"Well yes. I mean certainly it was unexpected. I've hardly even see you so much as smirk in my general direction, so you have to excuse my suprise to find that you..." Galinda paused, unsure of how to word it.

"Well, you know." she finished, with an little flip of her hands.

Elphaba looked her in the eye for the first time since she'd come into their room.

"So you're not angry?" she asked, still almost silent.

"No not at all. In fact I'm very flattered."

Elphaba snorted quietly. "Of course you are."

Galinda inched just a bit closer to Elphaba, and took her hand carefully in hers. Elphaba looked at their hands, entwined once more, and quirked her head to the side questioning Galinda with her eyes.

"I'm serious Miss Elphaba." she said, gently rubbing her thumb across the back of her hand.

Elphaba looked down at the floor, completely and utterly at a loss. Galinda simply lifted her chin up once more and studied the little lines that were slowly begining to fade from her cheeks. She reached up and touched them gently, and as she did Elphaba lifted her eyes to meet hers. Galinda slowly brought her fingers up to carefully trace Elphaba's bottom lip. Elphaba closed her eyes, and tried to breath. Just as she thought she might faint, Galinda leaned in and pressed her full lips against her own.

She kissed her, she kissed her, she kissed her, little by little by little.


End file.
